Explore Middle School
Our Middle School
Our Middle School (Grades 5-8) is a vibrant and accepting environment. Projects and hands-on activities are interwoven into the curriculum and make the material accessible for all learners. Direct instruction is offered in reading, writing, and math skills. The curriculum is aligned with Next Generation New York State learning standards. In addition to core content, students participate in physical education and arts programs.
Students utilize the computer for writing assignments; others utilize a voice recognition software program such as Dragon Naturally Speaking. Additional software programs, including Word Q, Read Write Google are used to help bypass student areas of weakness.
Each morning Grades 5-6 participate in Expeditionary Learning, comprising integrated units of Social Studies and English Language Arts. Units from World History and American History serve as the foundation and The STEPS + G framework (Bransford) supports students to categorize information and to make comparisons across different time periods and geographic locations. Teachers and students collaborate to conduct in-depth investigations in order to answer thought provoking questions and develop deep understanding of the content. Frequent field trips are used to make real world connections to what is learned in the classroom. Collaboration with the Education Department at the Memorial Art Gallery enables students to learn about the relationship between art and culture for each of the time periods.
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Please see below for Middle School topics covered and sample units.
English Language Arts
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Literature and writing assignments frequently reinforce social studies content.
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Vocabulary and writing strategies introduced in ELA classes are revisited across all content areas.
Mathematics
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The goal of Middle School Math is to develop conceptual knowledge through the use of hands-on experiences and mathematical practice to promote communication, reasoning, and problem solving skills.
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Lessons are presented in small groups and are developed with consideration of the overall pace and ability of each class.
Writing
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The focus of our writing classes are to fine tune the written expression process. Writing class is a required for all students in grades 5 – 11.
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We utilize school-wide strategies to break down the written expression process into easier, more manageable segments. The EmPower writing strategy is used to help students evaluate, plan and organize their writing compositions
Science
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Our science program is highly structured and experiential. It includes a combination of hands-on activities, lectures, modeling, and demonstrations
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Hands-on experiences and field trips enhance student understanding of content concepts and vocabulary, while making lessons authentic and providing connections to real life experiences.
Reading
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Reading decoding, reading comprehension or reading enrichment classes are offered based on individual student needs.
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Students participate in 10-week rotations of Photography, Visual Arts/Music, and Maker Place. View information on Electives.
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An art room, full auditorium, a maker place, darkroom, potters' wheels, kiln, and more support a rich and diverse variety of expressive experiences.
Arts
Social Studies
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Topics include cultures of ancient civilizations, the early history of North America and the United States, late 18th and 19th centuries of our nation, the price we paid for freedom as America struggled to save the Union, and our emergence as a modern nation.
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The curriculum is rich in authentic activities. Students are given the opportunity to experience history firsthand, including field trips to Ganondagan, Genesee Country Village & Museum and Underground Railroad stops.
Physical Education
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Physical education curriculum teaches students to understand and participate in activities that can develop and maintain physical fitness throughout their lifetime.
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The program is quite flexible; the curriculum is adapted to meet individual student needs and physical abilities. The program largely focuses on activities that are readily accessible outside of the classroom and that do not demand especially well-developed athletic abilities.